Guide for keyholes.



L. B. HOWARD.

GUIDE FOR KEYHOLES. APPLICATION nun JULY 12. 1911.

lwglvroa Z amid/ 15. /%wara ATTORNEYS r form in which the LANSING 1B. HOWARD, or SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

GUIDE FDR KEYI-IOLEIS.

Specifidation of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

Application filed July 12, 1911. Serial No. 638,158.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LANSING B. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, and Improved Guide for Keyholes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a new and im proved device to be used on an escutcheon, lock-plate, or the like, and act as a guide for the key in entering the keyhole.

An object of this invention is to provide a device which will be simple in construc tion, inexpensive to manufacture, strong, durable, and positive in its action.

A further object of this invention is to provide a concavely-faced member surrounding the keyhole, which will serve as an inclined guide, acting to direct the key, from any direction, to the keyhole opening.

These and further objects, together with the construction and combination of parts, will be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claim.

Reference is' to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in'which Figure 1 is a face view in elevation, showing one form of my device; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the form shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detached View of the plate used in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3; Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing a guide is composed of rubber or other material which will not make a scratching or metallic noise,- and Fig. 6 is a modified form showing the openings for thfi attaching screws, located on projecting ta s.

Referring more particularly to the separate parts of this invention as embodied in the forms shown in the drawings 1 indicates an escutcheon of any suitable character, which is provided with the usual keyhole opening 2, in connection with which it is desired to use my invention. For the purpose of guiding the key to the opening 2 there is provided a guide 3, having a concave face converging on all sides of the keyhole opening 2. This guide 3 is separate from the escutcheon 1, as shown.

HOWARD, i

have invented a new to 4 and 5, the guides may be fastened in any suitable manner to the escutcheon 1, as by means of screws 1, which may be located in the concave portion of the guide, or which may pass through suitable apertures in projecting tabs 5, as indicated in the form shown in Fig. 6.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4:, the guide is shown as being constructed of a metallic plate stamped in a concavo-convex form, with the concave side outermost.

While the guide may be made of metal, as indicated in Figs. 1 to 4, it may also be made of some sound-deadening material, such as hard rubber, as indicated in the form illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. If made of the latter material, the scratching and metallic noise, so -disturbin in the middle of the night, will be eliminated, even though the user of the key should fumble for some time around the keyhole.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a simple and efficient device, which will positively guide the key, if it should approach within a reasonable distance of the keyhole, directly into the keyhole, no matter in what point it first contacts with the guide on the escutcheon. 1

While I have shown several embodiments of my invention, I do not Wish to be limited In the case of the form shown in Figs. 1 I

to the specific details thereof, but desire to be protected in various changes, alterations and modifications which may come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent An escutcheon guide comprising a relatively thin plate oval in form, having a central key opening and apertures in alinement with its longitudinal axis, said plate being bodily curved in a transverse direction but substantially fiat along its said longitudinal axis for the purpose described. p

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LANSING B. HOWARD.

Witnesses:

WM. HUMPHREY, O. K. BULLARD. 

